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How to extract a botfly

This article was taken from the November 2013 issue of Wired magazine. Be the first to read Wired's articles in print before they're posted online, and get your hands on loads of additional content bysubscribing online.

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If you've visited South America, you may have brought back an unexpected, nasty souvenir. Botflies are rife there, and their larvae are carried by mosquitoes, whose sting allows the eggs into human skin, where they incubate for eight weeks. University of Virginia physician Jonathan West explains how he extracted one from a friend.

Have a medical doctor on hand

Folk remedies abound for removing botflies -- such as placing meat over the wound to coax the larva out -- but West recommends having a physician on board. "If the larva breaks," he says, "you're likely to end up with an infected wound and further complications."

Verify its identity

Outside South America they are often mistaken for cysts, so if you've been to botfly territory, tell your doctor. Look for the larva's breathing apparatus -- a small hole in the middle of the lump. When West's friend was infected, he diagnosed the botfly himself.

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Apply a venom extractor

Once you're sure, use a venom extractor (£10 from a camping-supplies shop). Usually used for poisons, it can vacuum the larvae out of their burrows. West used one on his friend: "It went off without a hitch." But be gentle -- if the larva ruptures, you'll need the services of a surgeon.